Abstract

There is a dearth of efficient strategies to support postpartum among women in order to protect them from chronic diseases in later life. Flaxseed oil (FO) is a food derived oil that has functional ingredients as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of FO during postpartum period in body parameters and lipid profile in rats. After the delivery of their pups, rats were randomly divided into two groups: control – diet with soybean oil as fat source- or FO – diet with FO as a fat source. After 51 days offering experimental diets, each group was evaluated on body composition, intra-abdominal fat, serum lipid profile and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The diet based on FO recorded high serum levels of ALA (P<0.0001) and eicosapentaenoic fatty acids (P<0.05). The diet also recorded a decrease in gamma-linolenic (P<0.05), dihomo-gamma-linolenic (P<0.05) and arachidonic fatty acids (P<0.0001). These aforementioned results lead to the activation of metabolic and physiologic pathways that provided higher lean mass (P<0.05), lower results on total cholesterol (P<0.05) and low density cholesterol (P<0.05). Hence, consumption of FO during postpartum can promote lean mass and healthy body composition, better lipid profile and contribute to chronic disease prevention.